Hot Cherry Pies!

It has been quite hot out there and I've been meltin'! Got your August to do list for zones 4-6 and hope you all are finding ways to stay cool!

Ornamentals:-Annuals may appear leggy and worn now. These can be cut back hard and fertilized to produce a new flush of bloom. -Continue spraying roses that are susceptible to black spot and other fungus diseases. -Deadhead annuals & perennials as needed. -Feed mums, asters and other fall-blooming perennials for the last time. -Prune to shape hedges for the last time this season. -Divide oriental poppies now. -Divide bearded Iris now. Discard old center sections, and borer damaged parts. Replant so tops of rhizomes are just above ground level. -Madonna lilies, bleedingheart (Dicentra) and bloodroot (Sanguinaria) can be divided and replanted. -Powdery mildew on lilacs is unsightly, but causes no harm and rarely warrants control, though common rose fungicides will prove effective. -Roses should receive no further nitrogen fertilizer after August 15th. -Order bulbs now for fall planting. -If you want to grow big dahlia flowers, keep side shoots pinched off and plants watered and fertilized regularly. -Evergreens can be planted or transplanted now to ensure good rooting before winter arrives. Water both the plant and the planting site several days before moving.

Lawns:-Zoysia lawns can receive their final fertilizer application now. -Apply insecticides now for grub control on lawns being damaged by their activity. -Lawns scheduled for renovation this fall should be killed with Roundup now. Have soil tested to determine fertility needs. -Verify control of lawn white grubs from earlier insecticide applications. -Dormant lawns should be soaked now to encourage strong fall growth.

Vegetables:-Compost or till under residues from harvested crops. -Cure onions in a warm, dry place for 2 weeks before storing. -Sow seeds of beans, beets, spinach & turnips now for the fall garden. Spinach may germinate better if seeds are refrigerated for one week before planting. -Broccoli, cabbage & cauliflower transplants should be set out now for the fall garden. Begin planting lettuce and radishes for fall now. -Pinch the growing tips of gourds once adequate fruit set is achieved. This directs energy into ripening fruits, rather than vine production.

Fruits:-Prop up branches of fruit trees that are threatening to break under the weight of a heavy crop. -Continue to spray ripening fruits to prevent brown rot fungus. -Protect ripening fruits from birds by covering plants with a netting. -Thornless blackberries are ripening now. -Watch for fall webworm activity now. -Cultivate strawberries. Weed preventers can be applied immediately after fertilizing. -Sprays will be necessary to protect late peaches from oriental fruit moth damage. -Fall-bearing red raspberries are ripening now. -Spray peach and other stone fruits now to protect against peach tree borers.

Miscellaneous:-Once bagworms reach full size, insecticides are ineffective. Pruning off and burning large bags provides better control. -Soak shrubs periodically during dry spells with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches. -Spray black locust trees now to protect against damage by the locust borer. -Hummingbirds are migrating through gardens now. -Watch Scotch & Austrian pines now for Zimmerman pine moth damage. Yellowing or browning of branch tips and presence of pitch tubes near leaf whorls are indicative. Prune and destroy infected parts. -Monitor plants for spider mite activity. Hose these pests off with a forceful spray of water. -2nd generation pine needle scale crawlers may be present on Mugo pine now. -Clean out cold frames to prepare for fall use.

Don't grow your own or want to find fresh stuff from your local farmers? Check out these farmer's market in the Missouri area at http://agebb.missouri.edu/fmktdir/ See what is being harvested and when at http://agebb.missouri.edu/fmktdir/harvest.htm Not from Missouri, well here you go http://www.fieldtoplate.com/guide.php

It's been really hot out there this past month, so be sure to give those plants some extra TLC and don't forget the shrubs and trees. Too many times they get overlooked as being low maintenance once they get established. However, when under stress, just like us humans, is the time disease and pests will attack.

While sitting around a campfire in 100 heat index evenings may not sound ideal, there are still plenty of places to check out in nature. Take a float trip on the Current River. Get too hot, jump in the water, especially if you are on a river with lots of springs feeding in. Take a hike to Devil's Icebox at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park less than 90minutes from STL. Feel like taking it easy out there? Try a class at Shaw Nature Reserve http://www.shawnature.org/August.aspx Or go fishing down in the Arcadia Valley Region full of oak and hickory forests, flowing rivers and numerous lakes and streams. Stay connected!

Proserpina: Really you can transplant them anytime after the frost date, but the optimal time is 6-8 weeks after bloom with most varieties of Irises, that time comes around mid August. However I think most gardeners don't get around to it till fall, thus it's become more common to do so then :)

Well we finally got some much needed rain! It thundered and lightning quite a bit overnight for a good 3 hours. However it did not bring any relief from the heat today, still going to be around 100. This next system coming in later tonight will bring some relief and we will be a nice normal 88 for a few days! Woot! :)

Good morning. The photo above is appealing to me. I wish I were there cooling my hot feet!

You give great gardening suggestions. One thing that I did not realize is that it is time to separate the Iris rhizomes, I had no idea. I thought one separates them in the Fall. I do have several groupings that need to be cleaned out, and replanted.

Sandi:I've been thinking about you this week with all the Olympic stuff going on :) We had a very warm spring here and everything bloomed in like a 10 day span instead of over 5-6 weeks. It was like a fireworks display, yet weird to see things blooming together like that. Personally I like it with just a few things popping each week...gives one something to look forward to.

GG: I hear ya! So far I haven't lost anything on my watch, but it's been a struggle. If they put a water ban on us in August, that might be another story. Stay cool and thanks for stopping in :)

I miss my WU friends here who aren't on FB...will have to make some time to get around to everyone's blogs and see how ya'll are doing :)